Toothbrush



Patented Dec. 30, 1924.

TOOTHBRUSH.

Application filed March 20, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANTON H. KAsTnLLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at lNhitefish, in the county of Flathead and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toothbrushes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tooth brushes.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a collapsible tooth brush including parts which may be conveniently assembled to provide a tooth brush, or which may be compactly assembled to reduce the effective dimensions of the same, so that the same may be readily carried within a pocket, hand bag, or pocket book.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a tooth brush embodying a handle having a compartment therein, and a brush head detachably associated therewith, which when not in use may be disposed within the compartment of the handle and maintained therein in novel manner against liability of injury.

, Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several VleWS.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved tooth brush.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view taken through the improved tooth brush showing the same extended for use.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the improved tooth brush in collapsed condition.

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view taken through the improved tooth brush showing details thereof in collapsed position.

Figure 5 is an end view of the improved tooth brush, showing the manner in which a brush head and dentifrice receptacle may be collapsibly associated with the handle portion of the brush to facilitate transportation.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown but the preferred embodiment of this invention, the letter A generally designates the improved tooth brush, which may include a handle portion 10; brush head portion 11; and means 12 to maintain the brush head in protected Serial No. 626,321.

' relation when collapsed within the handle The casing 10 may be formed of any approved material, such as silver, aluminum,- pyroxyline, ivory, hard rubber, and finished in any appropriate manner. The same in cludes the forwardly extending shank portion 15, and a rear casing portion 16 providing a compartment 17 therein. The compartment 17 is substantially rectangular in 7 ferent planes which are joined by arcuate' portions. A. cap or closure member 25, preferably of the same material as the handle 10, is provided for the rear end of the casing portion 16, preferably having imperforate walls adapted to overlie in abutting snug fitting relation with the outer surfaces of the walls of the casing 16. In this mannor the compartment 17 may be entirely enclosed and sealed to protect the brush head portion 11, and dentifrice container 12 therein, as will be subsequently described.

Referring to the brush head 11, the same preferably includes the supporting back 30 upon which the bristles 31 are positioned in novel manner, so that the tallest or highest bristles are positioned-immediately adjacent the forward end 32 of the brush head 11, said bristles sloping gradually rearwardly toward the rear end of the bristle support back 30 until at said rear end the bristles are of shortest dimension,as at 33. An attaching shank 35 is preferably provided integral and extending rearwardly from the supporting back 30 for bristles 31, having a screw threaded reduced end shank 38 adapted for detachable connection to the handle portion 10 as in a screw threaded socket 39 provided in the extreme forward end of the shank 15 of handle 10.

In extended relation, the parts 10 and 11 of the improved tooth brush A, as are illustrated in Figure 2, provide a tooth brush which may readily and conveniently be used by a person much in the same manner as ordinary tooth brushes, although the enlargement of the compartment portion of the handle enables an operator to obtain a more effective grasp upon the tooth brush for teeth brushing purposes.

In collapsed relation the closure 25 is of course removed, and the brush head 11 is then slipped into the compartment 17 of the handle 10 in the manner illustrated in Figure f, so that the attaching shank portion 35 of the brush head 11 rests upon the lower surface of the reduced portion 18 of the compartment 17 with the bristles 31 of the brush facing the lower surface of the compartment 17, and conforming to the arcuation the eof icident to the assemblage of the bristles in the arrangement above described. in this position, it is to be noted that the forward end of the brush may e2;- tend beyond the outer marginal edge 20 of the casing 16. The means 12 is preferably a tube of dentifrice, which may be assembled within the compartment 17 upwardly of the brush head 11, so that when inserted in the compartment 17 the same will rest upon the shank portion 35 of said brush head 11 and maintain said brush head in elevated position within the compartment, so that the bristles 31 thereof will be raised out of contact with the inner surfaces of the compartment 17. in this connection, it is to be noted that the forward end of the container 12 may extend from the compartment beyond the marginal edge thereof. As the dentifrice from the tube 12 is used, the same may be rolled from the bottom, and it will just as effectively perform the function in maintaining the brush head 11 in position as if the same were entirely full.

Incident to the forward projection of the brush head 11 when in the compartment 17, the placing of the closure or lid 25 over the open end of the casing 16 will force the brush head 11 and the dentifrice container 12 into the position above described. Of course, as the dentifrice from the container 12 becomes used, it will be necessary to manually push the same into the restricted end of the compartment 17 to act upon the brush head 11, so that the bristles thereof will be protected and held free of engagement with the walls of the casing 10.

from the foregoing description of this invention, it is apparent that a tooth brush has been provided which will find favor with commercial travellers, tourists, and campers, where a tooth brush is in demand which may be compactly carried in a pocket or hand bag.

Incident to the fact that the brush head and the dental container are entirely sealed against liability of leakage of any of the contents from the compartment 1? there will be no liability of soiling of clothing.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the same or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a tooth brush including a handle having a compa- L inent therein, a brush head for detachable connection said handle when in use and for coilpact enclosure in the compartment when not in use to reduce the effective length of the tooth brush, and a dentifrice container adapted to fit into the compartment at the opposite side of the brush head from the bristles and engage a portion of the brush head to retain the brush head therein in po sition to protect the bristles thereof.

2. As an article of manufacture, a tooth brush handle providing a compartment entirely open at its rear end, a cap for the rear end to entirely seal and enclose the compartment, a brush head for detachable connection to the forward end of the tooth brush handle, said brush head when detached from said handle adapted for disposition in the compartment of the handle, and a dentifrice tube for positioning within the compartment of said handle at the opposite side of the brush head from the bristles and adapted to bear a ainst a portion of the brush head when the latter is in said compartment whereby the bristles of the brush head may be supported free of engagement with the walls of said compartment.

8. A tooth brush comprising a handle portion and a detachable brush head therefor, said handle portion including a compartment opening from the rear'end thereof, said compartment having the bottom portion thereof of restricted area and the main portion thereof adjacent the open end of said compartment of greatest area, said handle having the upper surface thereof from end to end providing a straight unbroken surface, a cap for said handle compartment, said brush head when the tooth brush is not in use adapted for collapsing within the compartment of said handle, and a denti frice container for fitting into the compartment at the opposite side of the brush head from the bristles and engaging the portion of the brush head fitting into the compartment to hold the brush head stationary.

ANTON H. KASTELLE.

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